Freedom Mobile buyer's guide: Plans, prices, and more
Freedom Mobile
If you’re gearing up to make the switch to a new phone carrier, sometimes it pays to look outside of the Big Three. Those three are Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada’s case. However, Freedom Mobile sits right there in fourth place with its base of nearly two million subscribers. Luckily for you, there’s a lot to like about Freedom — from reasonable prices to solid data caps. Here’s everything you need to know to switch to Freedom Mobile’s plans.
See also: These are the best Canadian phone plans
As you work your way down the page, we’ll take you through key topics like post-paid and prepaid plans, as well as the best phones to complete your Freedom Mobile experience. If you’re working with limited funds, we’ll also dip into a few MVNOs to consider and even options for Canada’s best networks. Ready to experience Freedom? Let’s get started.
Freedom Mobile at a glance
Globalive launched Freedom Mobile as Wind Mobile back in 2008 as part of an initiative to encourage competition among Canadian carriers. That’s right, the carrier you now know as Freedom Mobile only took that name when Shaw Communications bought it up back in 2016. As we said, Freedom is the fourth-largest carrier in Canada, boasting a subscriber count of 2.2 million as of February 2022. Part of the name change stems from increasing royalty fees, but it’s tough to argue with a fresh start.
Freedom moved to LTE back in 2017, moving its calls to VoLTE shortly afterward in 2018. Now, the carrier’s network extends through much of southern Canada, with the best coverage in cities like Toronto and Ottawa. With Freedom as the main network, you’ll bounce between Freedom, Variable, and Nationwide networks depending on your location.
Check out even more about your local Freedom Mobile coverage on their map right here.
Post-paid Freedom Mobile plans
| Big Gig Unlimited | Freedom Plan | |
|---|---|---|
Cost | Big Gig Unlimited Starts at CA$55 | Freedom Plan Starts at CA$15 |
Talk and Text | Big Gig Unlimited Unlimited talk and text | Freedom Plan 100 minutes and unlimited text |
Data | Big Gig Unlimited Unlimited, up to 50GB high-speed | Freedom Plan 250MB |
Nationwide access | Big Gig Unlimited Unlimited talk and text, up to 5GB Nationwide data | Freedom Plan Unlimited talk and text, up to 500MB Nationwide data |
Extras | Big Gig Unlimited Data add-ons and international access available | Freedom Plan Data add-ons and international access available |
Big Gig Unlimited
If you want unlimited talk and text as well as a large pool of data, then Big Gig Unlimited is the place to be. Not only do you get unlimited talk and text on the core Freedom network, but you’ll also get a healthy cap of high-speed data on top. Once you use up your high-speed data, the Big Gig plan reverts to slower speeds, but you’ll never run out. The Big Gig Unlimited plans start at CA$55 per month, but Freedom often runs discounts where you can save about CA$5 per month.
Big Gig Unlimited is also the way to go if you plan to roam from your home area. It offers unlimited nationwide talk and text, and you can make the most of up to 5GB of Nationwide data. It’s even your best option if you plan to travel to the United States — you can add unlimited incoming and outgoing US calls on a CA$90 per month plan.
Highlights:
- Unlimited talk, text, and data in your home network
- Nationwide roaming access and US access available
Best for:
- Users with larger budgets who want to do it all
Freedom Plan
The Freedom Plan is your best bet if you’re light on your phone usage and you’re looking to save some cash. You can’t opt for unlimited data, but you should have no problem picking your cap and tapping into unlimited text and mostly unlimited talk. Options start at just CA$15 per month, though you’ll need to jump to CA$25 per month for unlimited talk and text.
Just like the Big Gig plans, you can add select extras to your plan when you’re set to travel, or you need some extra access. Freedom Mobile also lumps Apple Watch and tablet plans with the Freedom Plan, though they only include data rather than talk and text. Options top out at CA$55 per month, but a tablet won’t run you any more than CA$15.
Highlights:
- Very affordable at lower caps
- Plenty of Freedom data, limited Nationwide options
Best for:
- Users with low phone usage looking to save money
Prepaid Freedom Mobile plans
| Talk and Text | Talk, Text, and Data | |
|---|---|---|
Cost | Talk and Text CA$14 per month | Talk, Text, and Data CA$19 per month or CA$29 per month |
Talk and Text | Talk and Text Unlimited | Talk, Text, and Data Unlimited |
Data | Talk and Text By-the-Gig | Talk, Text, and Data 1.5GB per month or 4GB per month |
Nationwide access | Talk and Text All access at Nationwide rates | Talk, Text, and Data All access at Nationwide rates |
Extras | Talk and Text Access to Freedom Wi-Fi hotspots | Talk, Text, and Data Access to Freedom Wi-Fi hotspots |
Talk and Text
If you already know that you’re going to spend plenty of time on the phone, the Talk and Text plan is a better choice. For CA$19 per month, you can dial to your heart’s content with unlimited talk and text. You’ll still have to pay per Gig of data used, but it saves you from racking up expensive calls. If you know you’re going to stick around for a while, the Talk and Text plan is one way to lock up a whole year of service for one low rate. You can grab 12 months of service for CA$129, which works out to less than CA$11 per month.
Highlights:
- Annual rate option
- Unlimited talk and text
Best for:
- Users who expect to need a lot of talk and text with reliable Wi-Fi
Text, Talk, and Data
The last Freedom Mobile plan serves as a junior version of the Big Gig plan. It’s the only way to grab talk, text, and data without paying for the expensive per-Gig rates. You won’t get a whole heap of data — just 1.5 or 4GB — but that could potentially save you CA$45 over the cost of the Talk and Text plans. The 3GB plan is also the only prepaid option that offers Freedom Mobile’s fastest Freedom network access. Unfortunately, there’s no annual option for the Talk, Text, and Data plan.
Highlights:
- Small pool of data included
- Limited access to the fastest Freedom network
Best for:
- Users who want talk, text, and data with fewer fees
Which plan is right for you?
If you’re eyeing a move to Freedom Mobile, you’re probably wondering which plan is truly the best. After all, we’ve broken them all down, and it can start to sound like too many numbers. The answer is that the best plan depends on your personal needs. If you don’t need data, it’s very easy to go for a prepaid talk and text plan. However, most people need either one or both of those things, and then it becomes much easier to go for a post-paid plan.
The Big Gig Unlimited plans offer the most access by far, though you’ll pay more for it. You can grab unlimited talk, text, and data or stick to the lowest tier with per-use calling. Freedom Mobile’s Freedom plans work well, too, if you know that you need more data than the prepaid options can match.
How does Freedom Mobile compare against the competition?
Because Freedom Mobile is an owned division of Shaw Communications, it makes the most sense to compare it to other wholly-owned subsidiaries. With that in mind, we’ll stack Freedom against top options from Bell, Rogers, and Telus to see who comes out on top.
| Fido | Koodo Mobile | Virgin Mobile Canada | Freedom Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | Fido CA$45 to CA$75 per month | Koodo Mobile CA$30 to CA$75 per month | Virgin Mobile Canada CA$28 to CA$75 per month | Freedom Mobile CA$50 to CA$90 per month |
Talk and Text | Fido Unlimited | Koodo Mobile 0 minutes and unlimited texts | Virgin Mobile Canada Pay per use with unlimited texts | Freedom Mobile Pay-per-use calling or unlimited, unlimited texts |
Data | Fido 2GB to 10GB | Koodo Mobile Pay per use or up to 10GB | Virgin Mobile Canada Pay per use or up to 10GB | Freedom Mobile 15GB up to 35GB |
Host network | Fido Rogers Wireless | Koodo Mobile Telus Mobility | Virgin Mobile Canada Bell Mobility | Freedom Mobile Shaw Communications |
International | Fido International texts | Koodo Mobile Easy Roam available for $8 per day | Virgin Mobile Canada International add-ons available | Freedom Mobile International add-ons available |
Extras | Fido 5 hours of unlimited data | Koodo Mobile $50 referral bonus | Virgin Mobile Canada MyBenefits - perks on food, travel and more | Freedom Mobile Bonus data with each plan |
Fido Solutions
While Fido sticks to simplified names compared with Freedom, the general structure should feel familiar. Though it compares reasonably well to the Freedom Plan, Fido’s data caps are slightly lower than the Big Gig Unlimited line. Most of the challenge comes down to which network you prefer and what you expect in customer service. However, Freedom Mobile uses a mix of Rogers, Telus, and Bell for roaming, so there’s plenty of overlap involved.
Highlights:
- Low prices, decent data caps
- Rogers’ large nationwide network
Virgin Mobile Canada
Owned by Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile takes a simple when it comes to plans. Everything is built for the millennial subscriber, right down to the MyBenefits and MyPeeps perks. MyBenefits allows you to rack up discounts and benefits on food, clothing, and more, while MyPeeps is all about you and your friends. You can set up multiple lines of service on the same bill, and you’ll get unlimited calling between them all.
Highlights:
- MyBenefits and MyPeeps perks
- Similar prices, slightly larger network
Koodo Mobile
Over in the Telus umbrella, Koodo Mobile operates as yet another MVNO sibling. We call it a sibling since it follows the same midrange, millennial-focused structure as Fido, Freedom, and Virgin Mobile. You’ll find reliable customer service, and Telus and Bell rely on the same LTE network for coverage. Your best perk is shock-free data, which means that Koodo will send you helpful reminders as you get closer and closer to your data cap.
As for Koodo’s plans, there are two main ways to price out your service. You can save some money by bringing your own device, or you can pay into your Tab, which is essentially a piggy bank for buying new devices after a certain period. If you don’t upgrade often, then you can pay into a small Tab, or you can pour some funds in there to get ready for a flagship release.
Highlights:
- Same LTE network as Virgin Mobile
- Tab helps you save up for a new phone
Want a full-service alternative to Freedom Mobile?
We’ve already compared Freedom Mobile to top MVNOs, but what if you want the full-size experience? If you want even more options and coverage, then it might be even easier to go for one of Canada’s largest providers. In this case, we’ve chosen Rogers, Bell, and Telus because each is the owner of one of our popular MVNO picks. Let’s see what each has to offer.
| Bell Mobility | Rogers Wireless | Telus Mobility | |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost | Bell Mobility Unlimited starts at CA$75 per month | Rogers Wireless Unlimited starts at CA$75 per month | Telus Mobility Peace of Mind for CA$75 per month |
Talk and Text | Bell Mobility Unlimited Canada-wide | Rogers Wireless Unlimited Canada-wide | Telus Mobility Unlimited Canada-wide |
Data | Bell Mobility Unlimited, up to 50GB at max speeds | Rogers Wireless Unlimited, up to 100GB at max speeds | Telus Mobility 20GB with Peace of Mind |
International | Bell Mobility Add US access with per-month fees | Rogers Wireless Add-ons available | Telus Mobility Travel and international add-ons available |
Extras | Bell Mobility Access to Canada's fastest 5G network | Rogers Wireless Get a free tablet for 24 months | Telus Mobility Save up to CA$15 per line, per month |
Rogers Wireless
Rogers is the way to go if you want service almost everywhere. It’s also the parent company to competitor Fido Solutions. You can take advantage of Canada’s largest 5G network, and you can even get a free tablet throughout a two-year agreement. Even better, Rogers Infinite offers a large pool of sharable data at reasonable prices, and you can save an extra CA$15 per line every time you add a device.
Bell Mobility
If you’re looking at Bell, the first thing you might notice is that it offers a ton of plans. You can go Unlimited or choose to Connect Everything, and then there are even promotional plans on top of that. Depending on what you choose, you’ll either get unlimited access to Canada’s fastest 5G network, or you’ll get a nice pool of data to share between your accounts. Bell also offers a long list of connected device plans so you can connect your whole house to the internet.
Telus Mobility
The last competitor to consider is Telus Mobility. Like we mentioned with Koodo, it shares the same nationwide LTE network as Bell, so you at least know that you’re getting excellent service. All plans also include unlimited talk and text, so it comes down to how much you want to share your data. If you go for either Peace of Mind or Peace of Mind Connect, you’re pretty much able to keep your data to yourself and your own devices. However, if you head for the Simple Share plan, you can split a pool between your family and friends.
What phones can I use?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Like most other Canadian mobile providers, Freedom has a pretty solid list of available devices. You’ll find almost every new flagship available for purchase, including the iPhone 13 family, the Galaxy S22 lineup, and the Google Pixel pair. Freedom Mobile doesn’t just aim for the big spenders, though — you can also find a mix of mid-range Galaxy A devices and affordable alternatives from Motorola. Freedom also carries the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 if you really want to turn heads.
See also: The best phone deals
If you don’t want to cough up the funds for a brand-new device, you can always opt to bring your own. Freedom Mobile relies primarily on LTE and HSPA Plus for band support, so you’ll have to ensure that your phone is properly equipped. You can check here for bring your own device support, or hit the table below for a full breakdown of Freedom Mobile’s bands.
| Frequency | Band | Network supported |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency 600MHz | Band 71 | Network supported 4G LTE |
| Frequency 700MHz | Band 13 | Network supported 4G LTE |
| Frequency 1700MHz | Band 4 | Network supported 3G |
| Frequency 2600MHz | Band 7 | Network supported 4G LTE |
| Frequency 2500MHz | Band 41 | Network supported 4G LTE |
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